WITH BROWN PREDOMINATING 235 
East, hopping close to the benches and picking up food 
at your feet. They have a not unmusical call-note and a 
soft, sweet, twittering song. When the birds are about 
to begin housekeeping in the spring, this musical effort 
is heard at intervals all day long and is very pleasing. 
Both sexes codperate at the preparation of the nest, 
which they build in a hollow under the roots of a tree, 
or, at Del Monte, under the heavy evergreens and low- 
growing shrubbery. It is a simple affair of pine needles 
or fine grass, and so nearly matches the bird in coloring 
as to render her practically invisible when sitting. The 
little Juncos, although born naked, soon don a_ pretty 
habit of striped light and dark brown, and are even more 
invisible than the adults among the reddish pine needles. 
They remain in the nest about ten days, when they are 
fully feathered and able to fly. They are fed by regurei- 
tation for several days, and then with raw insects brought 
by both parents. For some time after making their début 
from the nest, the hungry youngsters follow the adults 
about, begging with quivering wings for food. 
They are fond of bathing, and run into the spray of 
the lawn hose or splatter in the puddles made by it with 
utter disregard of the presence of gardener or guest. I 
have seen them pick up crumbs scattered for them by 
a Chinese helper within two feet of where he lay under 
a tree eating his own dinner. Evidently the most  per- 
fect camaraderie existed between the man and the birds, 
for when the feast was spread he called them by a pecu- 
liar squeaking noise and was instantly surrounded by 
several pairs. This was late in May, and they were 
